FIVE DAYS A week at 3 p.m., Sky White laces up her purple workout shoes, charges outside and launches into a workout of jumping jacks, pushups and situps with coworkers — all courtesy of her employer.

White, who works at Novato-based Republic of Tea, is one of many Marin employees who enjoy innovative health-related perks such as free gym shoes, onsite exercise classes, chair massage and reimbursement for programs like Weight Watchers.

"Right now it's really hard to find employees in Marin County. Unemployment is low here," said Solina Walton, chief executive of Perfect Timing Personnel Services, a Larkspur staffing agency that has been around more than 25 years.

"Businesses are doing much better and are able to sweeten the pot for employees. Employers want to retain the talent, so they beef up benefits: Gym memberships, smoking cessation programs."

By no means does every employer offer such benefits, Walton said. "It's the people who are savvy. A gym membership does not cost that much, but what it does for the employee is enormous. Plus, it keeps employees healthy."

Walton's agency provides hundreds of temporary employees for firms all over Marin and the Bay Area. She offers free gym memberships at the Bay Club to her permanent staff of seven employees.

These benefits can be found in the public sector as well. Scott Hadley, employee benefits supervisor for the county of Marin, the county's largest employer, said, "We have a full wellness program for our employees.

"Since we don't have money to spend on items, we have engaged a lot of community partners to help out. Kaiser has been a great partner. They have a big walking program, 'Thrive Across America,'" Hadley said.

"The employees go for walks and log their miles," the benefits supervisor said.

"There are lots of reasons to do a wellness program. It builds camaraderie. A healthy person is a happier person," Hadley said.

San Rafael-based BioMarin, another of Marin's biggest employers, boasts an impressive array of perks for its employees.

"We have two different gyms, one at our Novato site and one at the San Rafael site," and a loosely organized group of employees meets at 7 a.m. daily at one of the gyms to urge each other on, said spokeswoman Debra Charlesworth. The gyms are employee-only and free to those working at BioMarin, she said.

Onsite chair massage is a godsend for the workers at Sutter Health Novato Community Hospital, spokeswoman Mary Strebig said.

"We have a grant that makes massage therapy available to our patients and it also pays for us (employees) to get chair massages," Strebig said. The money comes from individual donations by members of the community, she said.

"It is such a help. I can testify to it personally," Strebig said. "People work 24/7 at a hospital, and everybody gets a crack at it."

Sutter Health has arrangements with different vendors, so employees also have opportunities for discounts on health club memberships, Strebig said.

Autodesk, another one of Marin's biggest employers, reimburses employees $300 a year for massage, Weight Watchers, body composition analysis and other health-related expenses, said spokeswoman Alexandra Constantine.

Also, "our 2013 Global Corporate Challenge offered employees worldwide an opportunity to participate in a 16-week program that encouraged physical activity and team building," Constantine said. That program finished up in September.

Perhaps the most enviable perk is the company's onsite fitness center at its San Rafael headquarters. The center has weights, cardio equipment, classes, locker rooms, and showers. The company subsidizes employee memberships, Constantine said.

Fireman's Fund offers its employees onsite flu shots, blood drives, health screenings, a health and safety fair, a fitness center and exercise classes, and lower medical premiums for those who participate in a health incentive partnership, said spokeswoman Suzanne Meraz.

The Novato-based company also offers smoking cessation and Weight Watchers programs, Meraz said.

While Republic of Tea doesn't have anywhere near as many Marin employees as Fireman's Fund, it's hard to imagine a company whose employees have more enthusiastic buy-in for wellness programs.

The 12 Novato-based workers keep a TRX machine — which uses flexible material anchored to an overhead horizontal bar — folded up onsite in case the urge to exercise should strike at any minute.

"Absolutely it makes the Republic of Tea more attractive offering these (wellness) benefits," said Kristina Richens, director of sales at Republic of Tea whose formal title is Minister of Commerce.

"The company offers employees free individual nutritional counseling sessions. We get $125 per quarter for gym workouts, yoga sessions or anything fitness-related," said Richens.

"We are surrounded by healthy free snacks in our break room, nuts and fruit. We love to make smoothies using our tea," the 11-year Republic employee said. "We're encouraged to take at least a 10-20-minute walk break every day," Richens said.

White, who has worked at the tea company for two years, said, "When most people work out, they tend to do the same thing — go for a run, go to the gym. The neat thing about this program is that it's a really open, sharing environment.

"Everybody brings something to the table," White said, referring to the fact that the employees all share their favorite modes of exercise. "You're getting exposed to so much more and finding new things you like to do."